Winding machine



March 10, 1936. A. F. PYM

WINDING MACHIILIE Filed Jan. 16, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet, l

//v VEN TU/P.

March 10, 1936. A. F. PYM

WINDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 10, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 r 48 2 if; X

' m "WIMP;

March 10, 1936. A. F. PYM

WINDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 10, 1931 I 3 I I I: I I r l4l l4r. .Q. |Arv- Z? Q 7 MM I Patented Mar. 10, 193

PATENT; OFFICE WINDING MACHINE Arthur F. Pym, Beach Blufl, Mass, asslgnor to Sibley-Pym Corporation, Lynn, Masa, acorporation of Massachusetts Application January 10, 1931, Serial No. 507,816

20 Claims.

.This invention relates to machines for winding spherical cores such as those used in the construction of golf balls, and its object is to provide a winding machine by which cores may be wound with greater uniformity and accuracy of shape than heretofore and in an improved manner which prevents displacement of the kernel or center upon which the core is wound.

In the manufacture of golf balls it .is customary to employ a small kernel, or center of pure rubber or an acid-filled and frozen kernel, and to wind upon this kernel a tensioned' elastic thread, forming a spherical core of great resiliency. It is of the utmost importance to carry out the winding process symmetrically so that the kernel shall at all times occupy the geometric center of the core and to arrange the windings so as positively to prevent displacement of the kernel when the finished ball is subjected to the rough treatment incident to its use. If the kernel is displaced in winding. or becomes displaced in use, the flight as well as the travel of the ball upon the green is rendered irregular.

In winding machines as heretofore constructed, the attempt has been made to rotate the core about axes predetermined in accordance with harmonic -or other fixed type of mechanical movement, but there are .so many uncertain factors in the winding operation such, for example, as slippage of the core, and variations in the tension of the thread, that theresults secured are not uniform and not always satisfactory,'particularly in respect to the maintenance of a symmetrical position of the kernel in the core.

An important feature of my invention con sists in controlling the rotation of the core automatically by the shape of r the core as wound, asdistinguished from the mechanical predetermination of its position heretofore attempted. Accordingly, in one aspect my invention comprises a machinehaving means for supporting and rotating a sphere, in combination with a thread guide and a novel means for detecting the zone of maximum diameter as the sphere is wound, and causing it to assume another position with respect to the thread guide. Having'detected the zone of maximum diameter, the sphere. is tumedimmediately to a position determined by a zone of undersize diameter therein. I have discovered-that these results may be accomplished in a construction which includes an arm mounted to swingabout anaxis remote from thecore to be woundand carrying at its free end a disk having a point contact with the core substantially in the plane of the thread guide, said disk being pressed yieldingly against the core as it is wound and tending to shift the core angularly in'its sup port by reaction with any ridge, valley or other 5 surface irregularity caused in the contour of the sphere by the windings thereon. This action being entirely automatic and depending directly upon the location of the turns of thread upon the core, .is effective and certain to a degree 10 which insures an accuracy, compactness and uniformity of product. heretofore unavailable. As herein shown, I employ a detector disk mounted for free rotation and having a convex rim arranged to run upon the surface of the 15 driven core or sphere at apoint substantially in the winding zone. It will be apparent that in this manner a relatively unstable condition of equilibrium is established and with the disk thus mounted and yieldingly pressed 20 the core being wound tends always to react against. any surface irregularity and roll the core transversely with respect tothe winding zone to present a fresh or undersize portion 0 its periphery in winding position.

In winding a core or ball of elastictthread,

. it is important that the core should be driven or rotated with\ adequate traction as well as delicacy and precision to secure the best results and this is conspicuously so in the case of balls so of high quality which are wound of relatively fine elastic thread under substantial tension. This will be apparent when it is appreciated that in winding a single ball to produce the best results several hundred yards of elastic thread 35 must be supplied at a tension not far from its breaking point and at an extremely high rate of speed. Any irregularity in the driving or rotating of the core will break the tension of the thread or reduce the tension of the windings so 40 as to impair the resiliency of the product. The difiicult problem of satisfactorily driving or rotating the core has been solved by my invention. I have discovered that the desired results may be produced by employing a driven flexible belt 45 to support the core, that is, by cradling the core in a'fiexible belt supported at spaced'points. Preferably and as herein shown, the belt is supported by a pair of spaced rolls'and the detecits circumference, the wrap of the belt providing a non-slipping dfive to the core which at the 55 tro-magnetic drag upon the' tension device so that the thread has only to overcome the insents also serious difliculties.

same time is cushioned to such an extent as to avoid shocks or irregularities of movement.

In accordance with another important feature of the invention the flexible belt is so mounted that it has capacity for movement in a direction transverse to its line of travel so that the core being wound may be permittedto respond instantly: to any change of direction imparted to it by the action of the detector member. As herein shown, the belt is supported upon rolls, one of which at least is of sufllcient length to allow the belt to weave freely back and forth upon it in following the movement of the core.- It will be understood that .the question ofv uniformly the proper degree of tension upon the thread supplied to the core pre-' met in accordance with another feature of my invention which consists broadly in an electromagnetic tension device. It is well known that in the movement of an electric conductor through a magnetic fleld eddy currents are induced. in the conductor which tend to retard its movement. This principle has' been employed in a wide variety of fields but never, so far as I am aware, in tension mechanism for controlling the passage of thread or elastic thread to arrow or ball in winding the same. Inthe case of a machine such as that herein disclosed for handling a-delicate elastic thread at relatively high tension, the smooth and yielding action of an .electro-magnetic tension is extremely desirable. Another important advantage of my novel construction is that by its use the initial or starting retarding eflect is reduced to a minimum and danger of .breaking'the thread thus In other words, in starting the winding operation there is no eleceffected in accordance with another feature of my invention by relatively adjusting the magnet the rotary tension member so as to increase or decrease the electro-magnetic retardation developed therein. Such adjustment may be utilized'either manually in determining the degree of initial tension in winding the core or automatically in accordance with the increasing diameter of the core, or in accordance with any other predetermined plan of variation. To this end preferably I employ a plurality of magnets in connection with the rotary tension member and provide manually adjustable means for moving one or more of the magnets with re- .spect' to the conductor and automatic mecha- 'nism for similarly moving another magnet or magnets in accordance with variations in the core diameter. This arrangement also permits the core to be started with a degree of tension in its thread initially determined by the operator and to have the thread tension progessive- 1y increased, for example, as the diameter of the core increases, the rate or magnitude of the These have been" My invention also contemplates the provision of automatic mechanism of improved character for stopping the winding operation when the core has attained apredetermined diameter. This is accomplished, as herein shown, by utilizing the movement of the detector member to trip the stopping mechanism, thus deriving anadditional r function therefrom and contributing to the compact design of the machine.

My invention also includes new and improved mechanism for supporting the-reel of elastic thread used by the machine in the winding operation and for controlling the tension of the thread from ,the reel, insuring smooth uniform delivery of the thread without over-running.

My invention includes many important features of mechanical design, arrangement and combination of parts, contributing to a compact, effective and smooth-running organization. The cooperative assembly of the elements above discussed in a unitary machine comprises an important aspect of the invention.

' These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig; 1 isa view in perspective of the machine;

Fig.2 is a view of the machine in rear elevation; n Y

Fig. '3 is a sectional view on a plane passing vertically through the main shaft of chine;

Fig. 4 is a detail plan view, partly in section. of a portion oil the manual tension adjusting mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a view, on an enlarged scale, of the tension mechanism partly in horizontal section;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view showing the core rotating and positioning devices;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary'view inperspective of the stop controlling mechanism; and

Figs. 8 and 9 are diagrammatic views illustrative of the action of the detector member in positioning the core.

The general operation of the detector member first be described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9, it being understood that the core I00 being wound is supported upon the endless belt 93 and yieldingly engaged by the freely rotating disk 82, as best shown in Fig. 6. The rim of the disk 92 is convexin cross section and engages the upper side of the core at a single predetermined point or very small area with an appreciable degree of pressure. The elastic thread 0 is represented as having been de-. livered to the core I 00 in a series of turns forminga zone of greater diameter than that of the general curvature of the core. The rim of the disk92, on account of its location, engages and presses against this zone of maximum diameter and reacts against the rapidly rotating core so as to shift it laterally or to displace it transversely with respect to its normal plane of rotation. An unstable condition of equilibrium is thus created and the slightest relative displacement will cause the core to turn so as to carry the oversize zone away from the point of contact with the disk 92. In other words, the narrow contact rim of the disk tracking upon the core in the winding plane detects the zone of mainmum diameter in the core as it is wound and the maaosaacp with the disk either about a horizontal axis lying in the winding zone or about a vertical axis, and in practice its shifting movement is a combination of the two. All this action is car- 7 ried out at high speed as the core is rapidly rotated and the result is that a symmetrical core of accurate hemispherical shape is produced.

The machine is a complete motor-drlvenunit including broadly means for positioning and rotating the core to be wound, starting mechanism under the control of the operator which is tripped automatically when the core reaches a predetermined diameter, a reel -of elastic thread with means for guiding itto the corebeing wound, electro magnetic tension mechanism arranged to be adjusted or regulated in accordance with the.

requirements of the .work initially and automatically during theyvinding operation, and a counter for indicating the "revolutions of the machine or the number of balls wound. 1

The frame of the machine comprises a flat base plate l8 having a rearwardly and upwardlyinclined motor bracket l2 for the motor 13. Projecting vertically from'the base plate is a panel l4 which carries certain moving parts of the. machine and is provided with a peripheral flange IS. The panel 14 not only serves as a supporting frame but encases the friction-controlling mechanism and is designed to impart to the machine an attractive finish as a whole.

The panel I4 is provided upon its rear face with a horizontally projecting integral boss l8 in which are formed bearings for the main shaft 28 of the machine. The shaft 28 carries at its forward end a roll or spool 22 which projects outwardly from the face of the panel l4 and constitutes the right-hand and driven roll of a horizontally-disposed pair. The left-hand roll 48 is mounted to rotate idly upon a stationary stud 38 projecting from the face of the panel l4 and is provided with ball bearings; 42." Both rolls have surfaces which flare ordiverge cut wardly toward each end, thereby tending at all" times to center.- the core .under the disk 82. r The boss l8 contains an axially-extending chamber provided with a bushing and having fitted therein ball bearings 38 for the shaft 28.

The ball races are retained-in place by an inner collar 28 screwed to the end of the boss and an outer.collar.28 screws to the face of the panel l4.

Aworm- 24 is out upon the shaft 28 between its bearings and this meshes with a worm gear 33 upon a transverse shaft 32 which is'arranged to drive.counter mechanism contained within a casing- 88. This may be of any commercial type and is arranged behind a window 34 in the panel l4 throughwhich the reading of the counter may be The drive to the counter may be so designed that the counter will show the number of revolutions made by the driven roll 22 or bya suitable reduction may indicate the number. pf cores'or balls wound by the machine.

with a. flexible coupling 54,

which is formed as a part of,a"cylindrical clutch The driving connections-between the motor. l3;

and the shaft 28, including the. starting and stopping mechanism,- will now-be described. The.v

motor shaft'58' is provided at, its forward-end the inner member of spring 84 extending wardly -ot'ally mo casing 58 so that the latter rotates with the motor shaft. The clutch casing is closed at its inner side by a face plate 52 through which projects the hub 88 of a longitudinally-movable friction disk 58. Upon its rear face the friction disk 58 is chambered toreceive a hub extension of the clutch casing 58 which runs upon .ball bearings 68 located upon the inner end of the shaft' 26. A second set of ball bearings 14 is provided between the face plate 52 and the hub 88 of the friction disk and the result of this construction is that the casing 58 and its connected parts rotate freely and with a minimum friction upon the inner end of the shaft 28. A collar having a thin ou wardly-extending flange 82 is secured in place upon the hub 88' and a series of compression springs 12 circumferentially with a pin 85 extending freely into a bore formed a in a flanged collar 84 which is threaded upon theend of the hub 88 of the friction disk 58 and movable therewith as a unit. Also, a fixed angular relationship is maintained between the flange-82 and the friction disk 58 by means of a pin 81 set in the disk 58 and projecting through an aperture in the flange. It will be plain from the foregoing description that if the flanged, collar- 84 is moved, toward the right it will carry with, it the friction .disk 58, compressing'the spring 12 and disen agin the clutch. 4

The flanged collar is arranged to be shifted to disengage the clutch by a shipper .lever 18 pivotally mounted at its upper end upon 9; lug or rib 18 formed integral with'the boss i8 and the panel i4. The shipper lever is yoke-shaped so that it embraces the collar 54 and is rovi'ded, at diametrically opposite points with ro em 88,

one of which is shown in Fig. 1, which make anti-friction contact with "the lime of the collar 84. The

shipper lever is normally swung toward the right, as seen in' Eig.3, by a tension between its lower end and a hook projecting from the inner face of the panel l4. A block 88 is pivotally. connected to the shipper lever near its lower end and this in tmn :isconnected to a stem 88 extending outvided at its outer-end with a head or button88.

constitutes the means by which the machineis started by the operator and when the head 98 is forced inwardly theshipper isswung in opposition to the springv 84, permitting theflanged disk 84 and its associated parts to move through a bore in.the.'panel l4 Find protoward the left under the actuation of the spring 12 to engage the clutch. The stem 88 is provided with a. flanged collar 89 with which cooperates a latch piece 81 pivunted upon an angular supporting lever 85. The latch piece 81 is normally retainedin latch engagement by a tension spring 83 extending 1 between it and a.

to the starting head 88 and above the same.

pin set in the lqweilpart lot the panel I4. The latch-is in shape a bell crank lever having its short arm extending upbelt isnarrqwer than I roll 40 and is permitted to move or sway laterally clutch" and bringing the machine to res.

- flanged collar 64 is lifted, disengaging permitting the spring ll to-throw the-shipper lever]. toward the right, thus i Prompt stopping of' the machine is insured by a forked brake member 82 which is secured to the inner face of the boss It in position to be engaged bythe when the latter is moved to its clutch-dise aging position. It will be understood from the foregoing description that the spring 84, operating is sufllciently powerful in its action to overcome the action of the s lz'which have no me-. chanical advantage. It will further be understood from the foregoing description that the machine is set in operation pressure since the reaction of the springs 12 is entirely self-contained within The core to be wound is rotated and positioned by a driven belt of flexible material which is herein shown as surrounding the rolls fl and ll, and an oppositely-disposed detector member, herein shown as an idle roll. or disk 82. The belt 91 comprises anmndless band of rubber of the casing.-

'suflicient length to enclose the rolls 2! and and to sag, somewhat between them under. the pressure of 'the core, as indicated in Fig. 6. The belt 88 is driven without appreciable slip w by the driven roll 22- and in its movement drives the idle roll and rotates the core IN. The the length of the idle from side. to side in response to lateral rotation of the core brought about by the action of the detector. It makes circumferential contact with the core over an extended portion 'of its circum ference and thereby insures a. uniform, slightly I yielding, non-slipping drive to the corewithout in any way interfering with or retarding any lateral motion which maybe imparted thereto. It will be noted that the moving belt ",by

I wrapping about a considerable arc in the circ ference of the core, develops or exerts a much greater traction on the core than is obtainable by the employment of rolls alone and, conse quently, permits and facilitates the use of.a h tension in the thread being wound.

The detector roll or disk 52 a spindle projecting outwardly from the free end of a lever arm and is provided with ball bearings to reduce friction oif'rotation. The rim of the detector disk is convex in cross section to provide an area a: reduced contact with the core lfllAThe lever arm is fast to'a horizontal shaft 98 iournaled in the panel I4 and is ar- .ranged to'swing upwardly as the diameter of thecore increases in the winding operation. The shaft I! at its rear end is pinned to a horizontally-disposed arm 91 near its free end a longitudinallyadjustable weight as and freely receiving a verticaIrod 95 having at its upper end adjustable check nuts At its lower end the rod 95 is bent outwardly and pivotally connected to the latch 8! already referred to. The

through a. long lever arm by the operator by moving the head SI inwardly until the latch 81 to run until the operator by mechanism.

toward the left, the shaft is mounted upon I I is shouldered aosasae By pushing inwardly the button Ql the'latch n red 95 and the arm 9! are moved yieldingly downwardly at all times by a long'tension spring- 23 extending between a pin on the rod 85 and the base plate Ill. The result is that when the arm 8' is elevated v the increasing diameter of the core, the arm .1 will'pick up the rod by engaging. the cheek nuts I03 and will automatically trip the latch 81, disengaging the flanged collar 88 and releasing the shipper lever for stopping the 10 machine, The angular supporting lever II, as shown in Pig.- 7, is iournaledupon a boss i1 projecting from the inner face. of the panel "l4 and is 81',-

ranged for movement about a horizontal axis. This axis of movement corresponds Substantially with the'point ofengagement of the latch I! with the'flanged collar 88. A screw ll, having a knurled head, is threaded into the panel'in position to eng e 4 v armoftheleverl! andtorockthesametomove upwardly or do'wnwardlythe fulcrum point of; the latch 81. In this operationthe rod I! is alsoraisedorloweredand, accordinglmthepoint machine. A tension spring 2| isconnected tothe latch. 01 at its fulcrum point, and

downwardly to the same pin which holds the spring 83 maintains end of the screw is; This mechanism ail'ords'a convenient and accurate means of adJusting the automatic stopping point of the machine to the diameter of thecore. desired. may be effected by the adjustment of the check nuts M3 and ordinarily these are us'edfor apr'esetting of the machine, screw is may be usedfor a fln'al whereas the cl setting.

of the stopping point and is within nvenientm reach of the operator.

The tension mechanism of the machine will i now be described with reference first to Fig. 5.

The panel u isprovided with a cylindrical boss "2,111 which 45 the head I and preferably of aluminum or other, light electro-conductive and non-mag netic metal. The disk, I! is held in place by a perforated flange I and nut on the-inner endof the-shaft It will benoted that the shaft and that the right-hand ball bearing is held inplace against by a'coilar Ill interposed'between the. inner ball race and the tension I06. The left-hand ball bearing is retained in place by a eollar III and key 4 which is fitted in a slot/inthe'inner wall of the boss Ill.

, I i .05 The shaft Ill together with the tension head I 08 and the disk ltfl are arranged to spin freely in bearings 102 under the actuation of the clastic thread I as-it is advancedtothe'core.

being wound. The speed of'rotation of the disk 70- H0 is, therefore, proportional to the rate of travel of the thread and any retardation of the disk will subject the thread to tension in that portionof its length between the tension head I" and the core. An idle roll III is interposed 75 to a predetermined point try-5 the downwardly-extending a the lower arm of thesup-- so porting'leverll always in engagement withthe- Thesamethingss thread mine the shoulder to between the friction head I06 and the core I00 to assist in guiding the thread to the core.

A plurality of permanent magnets are employed in combination with the rotary disk 0 to create electro-magnetic retardation therein. An

I upwardly-extending carrier arm I24 having a hub I2I is 'pivotally mounted upon a transverse stud I28 projecting from a lug upon the base plate I0. At its upper end the arm- I24 carries a permanent u-shaped magnet I25 arranged to embrace the rim of -the'disk- I I0, permitting the latter to rotate in close proximity to the ends of its forks. -A second similar magnet I26,

is also carried by the arm I24 at an intermediate point. The position of the carrier arm I24 and, consequently, the extent to which the disk H0 is embraced by the magnets I25 and I28 is manually controlled by! a screw I30 having a knurled head. The screw I30 extends through the face of the panel I4 and at its inner end engages a'small bell crank lever I28 which, as shown in Fig. 4, is pivotally mounted upon a bracket within the panel I4. The short arm of the lever I29 bears against one edge of..the carrier lever I24, with the result that when the screw I30 is turned inwardly the carrier lever I24 is swung toward the right, as seen in Fig. 2, and the magnets carried inwardly over the rim of the disk IIO, thus increasing the electromagnetic retardation developed therein. The arm I24 is movedin opposition to the screw I30 by a tension spring I32 connected between it'and the flange I6'of the panel I4. .ad-

justable stop screw I3I threadedinto the inner face of the panel servesadjustably to determine the initial position of the lever I29 and, consequently, of the carrier arm independently of the screw I30. 7

Automatic variations in the tension of 'the thread are provided for by magnets I2I and I23 which are arranged to be shifted in their.

position with respect to the disk 0- during the operation of the machine. The magnet I2I is shifted'in accordance with the increase in the diameter of the core being wound and the magnet I23 in accordance with the reduction in jecting outwardly from the hub of vthe lever.9'|.

The initial position of the magnet I2I may be adjusted by adjusting the. length of the con-1' necting rod H9 or by shifting the point of connection between the rod and its-actuating arm H8. The rate and extent of the inward movement of the magnet I20 may also be varied by .adjusting the point of connection of the rod '.with its arm. This magnet is then advanced over the rim of the disk-ll0 as the'arrn 91 is raised by the increasing diameter of the core. with the machine adjusted 'as shown in Fig. 2, the-magnets I25 and I26'will develop an appreciable-initial tension in the disk II 0 and .this tension is gradually and uniformly increased from the inner to the outer by themovement of the magnet I2I.

The supply reel I38 from which the elastic thread I40 is drawn is carried by a tubular standard I34 which projects upwardly from the upperflange IE of. the frame panel. At its upper end the standard I34 carries a yoke I35 with upwardly-extending branchesin which are respectively. The center I31, beside being free- 1y rotatable, is arranged foryielding longitudinal movement for releasing and engagingthe end of the reel I38. Thread drawn from the reel passes directly to and about the tension head I06 in its passage to the core being'wound. It will be apparent that as the diameter of the winding upon the reel decreases, the moment arm tending to unwind it also decreases and, -consequently, that a slight additional tension is introduced into the system inasmuch as'the rate of delivery from the supply is maintained uniform. This variation is compensated for. in accordance with a feature of my invention, and one form of suitable mechanism will now be described. r 0

Upon the shaft 98 is journaled a bell crank leverhaving a downwardly-extending arm I 22 which carries the magnet I23 and a horizontally-extending arm I46 extending beneath the tubular standard I34. Within this standard is I mounted a rod I42 which extends freely up through the yoke I35 to a point above the sup ply reel I38, where it is providedwith a head mounted in ten bearings centers I36 and m I43. A feeler roll I44 is mounted in the head ment thereof. The whole mechanism is-subv stantially balanced so that the feeler roll I44 bears lightly upon the contents of the reel but as the diameter of the windings decrease and the feeler roll I44 is permitted to descend, the

weight of the parts is sumcient to cause the lever I22-I46 to rock in a clockwise direction,;

moving the magnet I23 outwardly and, accordingly, decreasing its tension effect to compensate for the increasing tension eife'ct of the reduced effective diameter of 'the reel.

In order to prevent over-running due to the momentum of the disk IIO, a brake arm 6 is provided which is arranged to engage the the windings upon surface of the perforated disk I08 when the machine is stopped. The arm I 'IB is associated f with the starting device, being secured to the" end of the stem 88 between the forks which" secure it to the shipper lever I8, all as shown inFig. 3. Q 1

The-operation of the-machine will be clear from the foregoing descriptionbut may be 'summarized for convenience as follows. Having passed the end of the elastic thread I40. about the core center or kernel, the operator lifts the detector arm 98 and places the coreupon the endless supporting belt 83, lowering the detector disk 92 into contactwith it. ,It will be assumed that the screw I30 has been set to swing the arm I24, positioning the magnets I25 and-I26 for the desired initial tension in the thread and that the rod H9 hasbeen adjusted in accordance with the rate and amount of increase in' {tension which it is desiredto impart a) the I thread during the winding operation; The' weight 93 has alsobeen adjusted toregulate the degree of 'pressureof-the detectordisk in accordance with the character of the core being wound. The operator will now trip the machine by pressing :the head inwardly until the latch 81 actsto hold the clutch in running position. The winding operation is thus initiated and as this continues thedetector arm 96 is raised, increasing the tension as the core diameter increases in the manner already explained, and finally the arm 91 engages the check 'nuts I on the rod .95 and trips the latch 81 when the core has reached a predetermined diameter. The machine is then immediately stopped, brakes being applied to the shaft 20 and to the rotary tension device, and the head 90 is released and moves outwardly to its initial position. The operator may then hit the detector.

arm 96 and remove the completed core, breaking the thread and preparing the machine for the reception oi. a new core.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l. A winding machine having core-rotating and positioning means including an elastic endless belt driven at high speed and an oppositelydisposed rotatable member arranged to engage a spherical core between them, and meansfor supplying a thread to the core as it is rotated.

2. A winding machine having core-rotating and positioning means including a power driven belt of rubber-like elastic material and an oppositely-disposed presser roll arranged yieldingly to engage a spherical core between them,

- and means for guiding a thread to the core.

- them, an oppositelyporting means for a driven elastic belt arranged to permit the belt to sag in the space between to press a spherical core into'the sag of the belt;

and means for supplying thread to the core as it is rotated by-the travel of the belt.

5. A winding'machine having core-rotating and positioning means including a flexible belt arranged to be drivan in one direction and having capacity tor mbvement also: in a'direction transverse to its direction of travel, a rotatable member arranged to engage the core at a point op s te to'the belt, and thread-directing means. 6. A winding machine having core-rotating and positioning means including an endlessbelt, a driven flanged roll supporting one end of the belt, an idle roll of, greater. length than the width of the belt supporting the other end of the belt, and a rotatable disk arranged to run upon the core at a point opposite .to the belt and to impart angular displacement thereto.

7. A winding machine having a supply reel member arranged electro-magnetic drag upon the thread, means for altering the relation of said magnet and conductor in accordance with the increasing diameter or the core being wound.

9. A machine having core-rotating and positioning devices, thread-supp yi means, an electr c-magnetic tension device, manually adjustable means for regulating the amount of tension developed by said device, and automatically acting mechanism for independently vary- 6 ing the amount of tension in accordance with the diameter oi. the core being wound.-

10. A winding machine having core-rotating and positioning devices, thread-supplying means, an electroemagnetic tension device including in- 5 dependently mounted magnets and a rotary conductor associated therewith, manually adjustable means for moving one magnet with respect to said conductor, and .automatic mechanism for similarly moving the other magnet in accordance with variations in the core diameter.

11. A winding machine having core-rotating and positioning devices, thread-supplying ineans, an electro-magnetic tension device including a flat disk rotated by the thread inits passage to 25 the core, a.forked magnet arranged to embrace therimoisaiddishmeansiormovingsaid magnet inwardly as the core diameter increases, and adjustable connections to said magnet whereby its initial position may be varied. 30

l2.A winding machine having means for "rotating a core to wind thread thereon, a supply reel of thread, a tension device interposed between the reel and the core, and mechanism for automatically decreasing the eiiect-o! the ten 3 sion device on the thread as the diameter or a the reel is decreased.

13. A winding-machine having core-rotating mechanism, a. thread supplying reel, a rotary tensionheadconnectedtoametallicdisha plurality of magnets disposed adjacent to the disk at separate points in its periphmy, means for manually positioning one of said, magnets; mechanism for automatically moving another or said magnets in accordance with the diameter of 45 the core being wound, and mechanism governed by the diameter of the supply reel for positioninganotherofsaidinagnets, alli'orthepurpose of controlling the tension in the thread during 0 the entireoperation of winding a core. o

l4.Awindingmachinehavingmeansi'orsupportingandrotatingacoretobewdunian electro magnetic tension device, automatic stop- ,ping mechanism, and a detector movable in accordance with the'increasing diameter core and having controlling connections both with the device and said stopping meclii I ofthefi l5. having core-rotating devices, means for guiding an elastic thread to 00 the core, an electro-magnetictension device in-- cluding' a rotary element, starting and stopping mechanism for the ,machine, and connectiom of elastic thread, means for rotating a core to" between said mechanism and and rotary ele-. I

ing the relation of the magnetand conductqr.

effective in accordance with variations in the diameter of the suppLv reel.

8. A machine having means for rotating a, core and supplying a thread thereto, a

tensio'n device including a relatively movable ment for. applying a brake to thelatter when the jnachine is stopped.

iaamaehmemrwmdmggouban mar elastic thread-comprising means for supporting and rotating a core, a hread guide leading thread, to the core in a defined windingmmra'm and a pivotally-mounted arm carrying a detector disk supported in yielding engagement with the core being wound and .havinga narrow peripheral contactrim which tracks onthe core subinagnet and conductor arranged to develop an stantia-lly in the winding Z0119- 4 17. A machine for winding golf ball cores of elastic thread, comprising means for supporting and rotating a core, a thread guide determining a definite winding plane, and an arm arranged to swing about an axis substantially.

elastic thread, comprising a driven endless belt for cradling, and rotating the core to be wound, means for supplying elastic thread to the core in a defined winding plane, and a detector disk with a narrow contact rim arranged to track on the core substantially in the winding plane.

19. A winding machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a. core to be wound,

a thread guide leading thereto, an arm arranged to swing vertically about an axis remote from the core, and a disk mounted in the free end of the arm and having a narrow peripheral contact surface for detecting the zone of maximum diameter as the core is wound and causing the core to assume another position.

20. A winding machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a spherical core about an axis of predetermined direction while leaving it free to be angularly displaced, a thread guide for delivering thread in a definite zone, and an arm arranged to swing about an axis remote from the core and carrying at its freeend a disk having a narrow peripheral contact surface arranged to engage the core in the winding zone and tending automatically to displace the core as the diameter of the winding zone increases. 

